The Build Equinox team attended the 2025 PHIUS (Passive House Institute – US) Conference in Milwaukee, held October 6–8. The event brought together builders, architects, raters, and manufacturers committed to advancing energy-efficient, low-carbon, and healthy building design.
PHIUS’s mission is to accelerate the transformation of the building industry toward carbon neutrality, resilience, and health through science-based standards, certification, and education. Buildings designed to meet PHIUS standards typically achieve 40–60% energy savings compared to conventional construction, while improving comfort, durability, and indoor air quality. PHIUS-certified projects are designed with the grid in mind—reducing demand, increasing resilience, and contributing to a more stable energy system.
Build Equinox at PHIUSCon 2025
Build Equinox was proud to exhibit with a dedicated booth featuring a live demonstration of the CERV smart indoor air quality management system. Attendees experienced the system in action, feeling the temperature difference between supply and return air as the internal heat pump operated in real time. The display highlighted how the CERV manages and conditions fresh air for optimal comfort and efficiency. Visitors also explored the system’s CO2, VOC, and particulate sensors, and interacted with the integrated touchscreen interface.
PHIUS Certified Spotlight – “Pipsqueak” Passive House, Salt Lake City, Utah
In one of the sessions, our colleague Dave Brach of Brach Design Architecture shared a great presentation featuring the Pipsqueak, a PHIUS Certified Passive House in Salt Lake City, Utah. Built in 2019, this 1,700-square-foot, two-story home was designed to be a “house that costs almost nothing to live in.”
Through smart, climate-responsive design, the home maintains comfort in both hot, dry summers and cold winters while keeping construction costs at market rate. The home achieved an airtightness of 0.03 CFM/ft² at 50 Pa, uses a 9,000 BTU heat pump, and pairs with a 5.7 kW solar array to achieve net-zero operation.
For indoor air quality, the home relies on the Build Equinox CERV system, equipped with high efficiency filters and CO2/VOC monitoring. The CERV provides both ventilation and air distribution for heating and cooling while also handling kitchen and bathroom ventilation, perfectly suited for homes using all-electric cooking systems.
